Speed responsive clutch



April 23,1946. A. Y. DODGE SPEED RESPONSIVE CLUTCH' Filed May 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 23,1946. DQDGE 2,398,885

SPEED RESPONS IVE CLUTCH Filed May 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 23, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE srnnn imsronslvn cu'ron Adiel Y. Dodge, Rockford, Ill. Application May 15, 1944, Serial No. 535,601

(or. 192-105) g 12 Claims.

This invention relates to speed responsive clutches and more particularly to friction type,

clutches for drivably connecting two rotatable members in response to the speed of one of the members. I

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a clutch in which a pair of pivotally mounted elementsslidably engage each other for mutually bracing and supporting each other. In one construction embodying the invention a pair of friction shoes are provided having slidablyoverlapping portions through which they brace each other. In another construction the shoes are actuated by pivotally mounted weights which slidably overlap with the shoes and support them.

. Another object is to provide a speed responsive clutch in which the slip period may be controlled 'by design.

8 Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch in which the speed responsive elements are controlled by springs connected to the elements through a, toggle linkage which changes the mechanical advantage of the elements over the spring as the elements move toward engaging position.

Still another object of the invention is toprothe broken line 2-2 a friction shoe l6 extending circumferentially toward the opposite pivot and a weight I! likewise extending circumferentially toward the opposite pivot and lying radially within the shoes. It will be noted that the weight I1 pivoted on one of the pivots underlies the friction shoe which is mounted on the opposite pivot.

The weights are adapted to control the shoes It to move them into engagement with a drum [8 carried by the shaft l I. For this purpose links l9 are provided. connected at one end to the weights adjacent their pivotal mounting on the pivots l5 and at the opposite end to the friction shoes adjacent the free ends thereof. With this construction as the weight tend to move out they will act through thelinks l9 to force the shoes outwardly into driving. engagement with the drum to connect the shafts land I I.

The weights are controlled through a toggle linkage including a'pair of links 21 and 22 pivotally connected at one end of each. .The free end of the link 22 is pivoted to a bracket on a. collar 23 which is fixed against longitudinal movement on the sleeve M. The link 2| is pivoted to a similar collar 24, which is slidable axially on the sleeve age is connected through a universal joint construction 26 to the central portion of the weights,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of an al-' ternative construction on the line 55 of Figure 6;

'Figure 6 is a section on a Figure 5;and

Figure '7 is a partial elevation of the clutch shoes on the line 1-1 of Figure 5.

The clutch shown in Figure 1 is adapted to connect a. rotatable shaft III to a coaxial shaft ll, either of which may be the driving shaft. The shaft II] is connected to a cover or casing member I2 which may form a fly wheel and has a cover plate 13 connected thereto carrying a sleeve 14 telescoping'with the shaft ll.

The cover p1ate l3 carries a pair of spaced the broken line 6-6 of pivots l5 at diametrically opposite points. On each of the pivots 15 there is pivotally mounted the linkage being so arranged that the central pivot lies radially inward of the outer ends of the linkage.

The spring 25 butts against a collar 21, which is slidable on the sleeve M and which may be adjusted through a threaded nut 28 threaded on an extension of the sleeve l4 and connected to the collar through thrust pins 29. The collar is preferably also controllable manually through thrust pins 3| engaging the collar 24 and a collar 32 which may be moved to the left, as seen in Figure 2, by a manually controlled yoke 33.

In operation of this construction with the parts in the position shown, the friction shoes are out of engagement with the drum and are held inwardly by the spring 25 acting through the toggle linkage. As the speed of the shaft l0, and accordingly of the shoes and weights, increases theweights exert an outward force on the center of the toggle linkage. When this force exceeds the holding force of the spring25 the weights start to move out to move the shoes into engagement with the drum. As soon as this motion occurs the angle of the toggle links changesto increase the mechanical advantage of the weights over thespiing, so that the shoes will move into en 'just'able abutment therefor.

agement with the drum without any chattering.- This sheet is further increased by the change of angle of the links l9 which increases the mechanical advantage of the-weights over the shoes.

' Therefore, above the critical speed the shoes will While two embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be ill pose the shoes are formed with spaced inwardly extending flanges 35 between which the weights are movable. The spacing between the flanges is greater than the thickness of the weights, as seen in Figure 2, toprovide room for the links l9. The links therefore assist in guiding the weights and shoes laterally. To provide additional support between the weights and shoes en- 'larged bearing portions arey provided adjacent the free ends of each of theweights and shoes to form a sliding interengagement therebetween. As shown, the free ends of the weights are provided with circular bearing portions 35 thickening the end portion of the weights sufilciently to form a sliding fit with the shoe flanges 3d. The shoes at their free end are formed with similar bearing portions 36 forming a sliding fit with the outer surfaces of the weights; With this construction each shoe slidably interfits with a weight pivoted on a spaced pivot so that adequate lateral support is provided for both the shoes and the weights during their operation.

In the construction shownin Figures 5 to 7 the clutch is adapted to connect a circular shaft 40 to a sleeve shaft M coaxial with the shaft so. In this construction the shaft ii is rotatably supported in bearings 32 and carries a drum 63. The

shaft 60 carries a laterally extending flange d8 adjacent the drum 43 which has therein a pair of diametrically spaced pivots to. An elongated friction shoe 46 is pivoted adjacent one end of each of the shafts 45 and extends toward the opposite Divot. The shoes 48 are movable into engagement with the drum $8 in response to centrifugal force on the shoes themselves.

The shoes 46 are controlled through a toggle linkage ll similar to the linkage 2l-22 of Figures 1 and 2, which is connected at one end to a collar 48 fixed against axial movement relative to the shaft 40 and at'its opposite end to a collar 49 movable axially of the shaft. The central portion of the linkage is connected through a universal joint mechanism II to the shoes 46 and a spring 52 urges the collar 48 toward the collar 48 to hold the shoes out of engagement with the. drum. The spring i2 may, be adjusted through extension of its flange which slidably interfits in the bifurcated portion 58 of the opposite shoe. In this way the shoes are slidably inter-1;.

connected for laterallybracing and supporting each other.

understood that these are illustrative only and are not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising a drum carried by one of the members, an arcuate friction shoe operatively connected to the other member and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of the other member, a collar slidable axially of the axis of rotation of the members, a toggle linkage pivoted at one end to the collar and at its other end to a part fixed against axial movement relative to the other member. means connecting the intermediate portion of the toggle linkage to the friction shoe, and a' connected to the other member and movable into engagement with the drum in response'to the speed of the other member, a collar slidable axially of the axis of. rotation of the members, a second collar spaced axially from the first named collar, a toggle linkage pivoted at'its ends to the collars respectively, means connecting the central part of the linkage to the. friction shoe, the toggle linkage sloping inwardly from 'its ends toward said central portion, and a spring urging the collars relatively together to urge th shoe out of engagement with the, drum.

3. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising a drum carried by one of the members, an arcuate friction shoe operatively connected to the other member and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of the other member, a

collar slidable axially of the axis of rotation of members comprising a drum connected to one of the members, a friction shoe pivoted on the other member and movable into engagement with the drum, a weight pivoted on the other member to move inresponse to thespeed there: of, means connecting the weight and the hoe to move the shoe into engagement with the drum as the weight moves out in response to centriiugal force, a collar slidable axially of the members, a secondcollar spaced axially from the first named collar, a toggle linkage pivoted at its ends to the collars. means connecting the centralportion of the linkage to the weight, and a spring urging the first named collar axially in a members comprising a drum carried by one of the members, a pair of diametrically spaced pins carried by the other member, a weight and a friction shoe pivoted to each of the pins. links connecting the weights respectively to the shoes pivoted on the opposite pins to move the shoes into engagement with the drum in response to centrifugal force on the weights, a pair of collars movable relatively together and apart axially of the members, a pair of toggle linkages pivotedat their opposite ends to the collars, means connecting the central parts of the toggle linkages to the weights respectively, and a spring urging, the collars relatively in a direction to move the weights radially inward to disengage the shoes from the drum.

6. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising a. drum carried by one of the members, a pair of 'spaced pivots-on the other member,. a friction shoe pivoted adjacent one end on one of the pivots and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of said other member, and an elongated part pivoted adjacent one end on the other of the pivots and extending toward said one of the pivots, the shoe and the part having slidable interengaging portions whereby they mutually brace each other against tilting.

7. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising'a drum carried by one of the members, a pair of spaced pivots on the other member, a friction shoe pivoted adjacent one end on one of the pivots and movable intoengagement with the drum in response to the speed of said other member, and an elongated part ivoted adjacent one end on the other of the pivots and extending toward said one of the pivots, the shoe having spaced flange portions and the part slidably fitting between the spaced flange portions so that the shoe and the part mutually brace each other.

8. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising a drum carried by one of the members, a pair of diametrically spaced pivots on the other member, a pair of friction shoes pivoted on the pivots respectively and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of the other member, the shoes havin slidably interengaging parts whereby they mutually brace each other. I

9. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising a drum carried by one ofthe on the pivots respectively and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of the other member, a pair of weights pivoted on the pivots respectively, means connecting the weights to the shoes to urge the shoes into engagement with the drum inresponse to centrifugal force of the weights, the weight on each of the pivots slidably engaging the shoe on the other pivot so that they mutually brace each other.

11. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising a drum carried by one of the members, a pair or diametrically spaced pivots I on the other member, a pair of friction shoes pivoted on the pivots respectively and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of the other member, a pair of weights pivoted on the pivots respectively, means connecting the weights to the shoe to urge the shoes into engagement with the drum in response to centrifugal force of the weights, the shoes having spaced flange portions slidably fitting over the weights whereby the weights and shoes mutually brace each other. i r

12. A clutch for connecting two rotatable members comprising adrum carried by one of the members, a pair of diametrically spaced pivots on the other member, a'pair of iriction shoes pivoted on the pivots respectively and movable into engagement with the drum in response to the speed of the other member, a pair of weights pivoted on the pivots respectively, means con necting the weights to the shoes to urge the shoes into engagement with the drum in response to centrifugal force of the weights, the shoes having W spaced inwardly extending flanges between which the weights extend, and spacers adjacent the free ends otthe weights and shoes to provide sliding engagement between the weights and flanges so that the weights and shoes mutually brace each other.

ADIEL Y. DODGE. 

